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In the first 12 Tests of 2008, Australia had 23 players
revolving, six spinners trying, six debutants twitching, four
openers batting, two allrounders competing and a looser hold atop
the rankings tree.

That was just on-field.

Throw in a major fall-out with cricket's superpower,
retirements, personal troubles and global upheaval, and the year
was another momentous one for the Australian team.

Ricky Ponting's side remains the best in the world, but the
once-sizeable gap between it and the rest has narrowed, to the
point where South Africa could dethrone Australia as the world's
best Test side in two coming series, at home this summer and away
in 2009.

For Australia, 2008 was a trying year when compared to its
previous era of dominance, as the effects of the player exodus of
2006-07 really hit home.

The absence of Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne became glaring in
October-November on the subcontinent, when Australia's bowlers were
ineffective on benign pitches and India's batsmen dominated.

India's 2-0 series win was the largest series defeat inflicted
on Australia in 20 years and was the first major sign that cricket
could be ready to usher in a new wave of change.

It also provided the Indians with redemption following last
summer's series in this country, which was one of the most
controversial since the Bodyline summer 75 years before.

The emotional Sydney Test in January nearly resulted in the
tourists going home after Indian skipper Anil Kumble claimed
post-match that Australia did not play in the right spirit, and
Harbhajan Singh was suspended for racially abusing Andrew
Symonds.

India protested Harbhajan's ban and he was subsequently cleared
on appeal on a downgraded charge, and peace talks between Ponting
and Kumble were needed to ensure the series went on.

India won the third Test in Perth, but a draw in Adelaide earned
Australia a 2-1 series win, and gave Adam Gilchrist a victorious
close, although he played the following one-day series before
retiring.

Gilchrist's retirement gave Brad Haddin his long-awaited chance
behind the stumps, but two unexpected retirements threw Australia
into a spin.

The departures of Brad Hogg and Stuart MacGill by the halfway
point of the year left Australia without a recognised Test spinner,
and complicated the search for Warne's long-term successor.

Beau Casson made an encouraging debut on the Test tour of the
Caribbean - where Australia won 2-0 - but was overlooked for the
following tour of India.

With Australia's spin stocks laid bare, Bryce McGain toured
India but left injured, Cameron White played all four Tests but had
little impact with the ball and Jason Krejza took 12 wickets in a
remarkable debut when finally played in the last Test in
Nagpur.

But the chopping and changing continued in the home series
against New Zealand, when Nathan Hauritz was plucked from obscurity
(Krejza was injured) four years after his sole previous Test.

The selectors' "horses for courses" policy also meant
allrounders Andrew Symonds and Shane Watson staged a mini-battle
for selection.

Watson performed well in India after Symonds was overlooked
because he was sent home from Darwin in August after going fishing
when he should have been at a team meeting, planning to play
Bangladesh.

But Symonds won back his place after a bout of counselling in
time for the first Test against New Zealand in Brisbane.

At the top, Australia tried four openers, as Matthew Hayden,
Phil Jaques, Simon Katich and Chris Rogers all got chances through
injuries to their rivals.

Katich ended 2008 a rejuvenated batsman, but much interest next
year will centre around Hayden, who at 37 has struggled of late but
wants to play one more Ashes series.

Batting-wise, Ponting, Michael Clarke and Mike Hussey were
Australia's most consistent performers, while Haddin's maiden
century in Adelaide sealed a 2-0 series win over New Zealand.

The struggles in India highlighted the limited firepower with
the ball, but Mitchell Johnson and Brett Lee largely had good
years.

In the one-day arena, Australia performed well except when it
mattered most, by losing the finals of the last home tri-series to
India, following England's surprise win in 2007.

Like the Test team, several new faces emerged in the green and
gold, and Shaun Marsh, Watson (as an opener) and Luke Ronchi can
expect to play more limited-overs cricket in the future.

Where that will be will depend on world events and cricket's
notorious politicking.

The Twenty20 boom meant Australia's best players were
sought-after in the lucrative Indian Premier League, which could
one day re-shape how the game is played internationally.

However, the terror attacks in Mumbai in November and the
ongoing security issues surrounding Pakistan (Australia this year
postponed a planned visit, and the scheduled Champions Trophy was
also postponed) will have a major bearing on next year's
commitments.

Australia and cricket in general will start 2009 in a state of
uncertainty given the changes confronting both, and the unstable
global situation.

With South Africa and England as the key overseas tours, 2009
will provide another intriguing year.

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